Survival of the Fittest
by Pio
Summary: An evil has awakened, and the AVALANCHE gang will need everything they have... and more.


Survival of the Fittest

Pio

Author's Note: Well, my first FF7 fic, and I intend to make this long, and the more reviews that like it I get, the faster I'll write the story. I intend to make this a darker story, but hey, even my ideas may run a little wild. However, fi you're looking for a happy love story, you won't find it here, so bugger off now. Maybe I'll throw in a little romance… anyways, here ya go.

Survival of the Fittest

Chapter 1 – Awakening of the Beast

Cloud Strife surveyed the landscape in front of him. Blackened from the fire, with the blaze far away from this previously scorched part. He was here to end something that beckoned his soul. He was there to say goodbye to a good friend.

He quickly found the marker, a little dirt hill, with a craevace looking down into the Earth. He could still sense the blood, as if it had been shed yesterday. Here he had killed, and it had cost him an ally, one he had held dear. He quickly found what he was looking for, a marker that he had placed in that spot two months previous.

It read, "In loving memory, to a friend. Zack: SOLDIER First Class." He hadn't bothered putting the last name, because he didn't want to remember it. He wanted to remember the friend he had known. He now, also planned on returning something. He withdrew the large Buster Sword froms it's sheath, and stuck it into the ground. 

"Thank you for the loan… It saved my life many times. Rest in peace, my friend." With this short sling of words, he quickly went back to the saddle of his Gold Chocobo, Lightning. He scratched behind the animal behind the ear, and then said, "Let's go home."

1 Year Later

Midgar

"Bottoms up, Rude." Reno said as he tipped his bottle towards his friend's. With Shinra gone, the two had tried being mercenaries for hire, but nowadays, there weren't many jobs. So, they decided to do what they thought would be best. They opened a bar. It was opening day, and the two were already happy with the turnout. The slummers definitely liked the brew.

"Yeah…" Rude, as always, remained quite and reserved. Since the destruction of Shinra, the three remaining Turks had tried their share, and it all fell apart. When Reno and Rude decided to go into buisness, Elena flatly refused and continued life as a hand for hire. Thye hadn't spoken since the first day of construction of "The Eight Ball".

"What's got you down, we just closed up for the first day, and already we've made enough gil to survive for another three months! What the hell is keeping you down?" Reno, also remained the same. Cocky, smart-assed and sarcastic, along with strong and intelligent. Elena's loss had done little to affect him, and it showed. He had hated her, she had hated him, and a mutual loathing works out well for both parties.

"It's just that… less than two years ago, we were feared and in charge. Now… we run a bar. It takes a little adjusting, y'know?"

Reno sighed. Leave it to your partner to ruin the moment, he thought. He stood up and said, "Look, Rude. We tried, we really did, but those fools Heideger and Scarlet couldn't manage the company, at all. Had they gotten a grip on their power, believe me, We'd still be the most feared people in town. But, we're doing what we can, and what we like now. And now is all that's important at the moment, right?" He smiled.

"Yeah, I guess." He took a swig of his drink. The night was looking up. 

Then, the knock on the door was heard. Reno yelled, "We're closed." The door blew apart as the gun went off. The two Turks ducked as the splinters flew all around. A man wearing a black training suit, with red hair and a silver headband walked through the doorway. 

" Reno, so good to see you again." The man sneered at him. Reno couldn't quite make out his features, but that voice… that voice had never left his head. He plastered himself to the ground, knowing that a fight was inevitable.

"Jacob… I haven't seen you in years, because you're dead!" He grabbed for his nigthstick behind the counter, and narrowly missed losing his head doing so. He once again kept himself glued to the floor. The man named Jacob once again spoke up; "You left me for dead, along with that traitor, Tseng. I only regret that I will not be able to kill you both."

Rude kept quiet, still confused as to what was happening, but he decided the longer he went unnoticed the better. Reno dived underneath another table as another shotgun blast went off. He then realized the slight pain in his leg. A splinter had hit him, and it was sticking right through his left leg. The blood was running freely down his calf muscle. He bit off a curse.

Jacob then started walking, and he said as he stepped, "There was a saying in the Turk code, never leave another of your own behind… you're obviously not very good about upkeeping the code. Unlike your comrade, Elena." Rude was right behind the man, and decided then was the time to act, but as he moved to get up, the small click of a gun being cocked, and the coldness of a metal barrel on his head stopped him.

"Nice to see you again, Rude." The female voice snickered. Elena was obviously working with the other man. Rude kuttered something that sounded like a hello. She laughed, "Same old rude, not afraid to be killed no matter the curcumstances."

"Hey, Elena!" Reno had jumped out from underneath his table, and connected with the nightstick. It stunned her long enough for Rude to run, but he had also got Jacob's attention back, and looked directly at the barrel of an M4 Shotgun Carbine. 

"One move, and your head blows away in a million different directions. Put the stick down." Reno, was screwed to say the least. He obeyed, and then Jacob told him, "Turn around, and walk out the door." He walked out, slowly, and he noticed the glint of sunglasses to the side of the door. Jacob soon followed him, and Reno said, "Another thing about the Turk code, never let your guard down!"

Rude jumped out, tackling the man. He dropped the gun, but he was still fighting. Rude wouldn't be able to hold him long.

"Reno, move it, I'll hold him back! Run you dumbass!" Reno obeyed, knowing that Rude may very well not survive that encounter. He ran into the slums, heading for a place where he knew he would find help. Sector 1, AVALANCHE Headquarters.

Rude, was soon able to contain the man, but he knew he wouldn't last long. He tightened his grip, but then it all of a sudden went black as a gun whacked the back of his head, knocking him out cold. The last word he heard was, "Traitor."

Barret Wallace walked down the dusty streets of what was North Corel. He had saved the town twice now. The people finally had accepted him back, forgiving him for the incident with the mako reactor.

He was mayor now, because he had promised to rebuild the town to its original state. And he was doing just that. The tents were gone, and the houses were being erected again. The scent of home was back to Barret. He was happy, that AVALANCHE had succeded, he truly was. He was happy with the town. However, something was missing. Two weeks from now, it would be the anniversary of when they had stopped Meteor. He quickly remembered what he had seen in that group.

A half-man, haunted by his past failure to his lover.

A pilot, with dreams of venturing into the unknown.

A ninja girl, who loved the thrill of the fight.

A mechanical cat, with a persona directing the toy.

The last of a line of warriors, a protector of the canyon he loved.

He, a man who only wished to redeem himself.

A girl, with fists of steel, along with a will to match.

A young man, who wielded a sword with power.

And a lonely flower girl, seraching for the answers of her past.

They had shared good times together, and now only one of them would never see each other. He figured it was time for a reunion. And how approipriate that they had killed Sephiroth on Christmas Day. An excuse for them all to meet each other again. Oh how he loved the idea. He smiled at this thought, and continued his walk. It ended on the top of a hill, from which he could see the entire mountain area. 

His life was good now. And he would do anything to protect his land, and his friends. And the peace that he had found.

The PHS on the table rang to life. It awoke its owner, and he was not pleased with his pleasant slumber being disrupted. Cid was onboard the sirship Highwind, and he had fallen asleep looking at charts and maps. He swore, and the picked up the cell phone, practically yelling, "This had better be good or else I will rip off your ba… oh, hi there Barret."

"Am I interrupting something Cid?" Barret said over the phone sarcastically. The two older men had grown to be good friends after AVALANCHE had splt up, and being the closest together, besides Vincent, the two still talked occasionally.

"Fuck you, now what's up? Uh-huh, a reunion, eh? Midgar, I see. You never cease to surprise m, Barret." He laughed. So, the big bad leader had rented out a small mansion in Midgar for the week over Christmas. Well, that sounded like heaven to Cid. He was fed up with doing nothing.

"Yeah, Cid. Also, would you mind calling Yuffie and Vincent for me. I don't think they'd respond well to me calling, especially Yuffie." Cid laughed, but replied, "Sure, I will. However, I think it'd be better if we left the brat in Wutai, but hey, that's my call." The two quickly said their goodbyes and hung up.

Cid stood up, and stretched. He said to himself, "So, a reunion, huh? This'll be quite interesting…" He walked out of the room, shutting off the light. The next few days he would be busy, but that was no matter to Cid. He was the Captain. And as God is on the planet a Captain is on his ship.

Icicle Inn

As the sun set, and the darkness quickly crept across the land, the last light drained from the Northern Crater as well. But the, a red fire started. And within the pillar of flame that rose from the pit, so did rise an evil. An unfamilliar evil, however. Sephiroth may be dead, and Jenova defeated, but there was one creature that the AVALANCHE had missed through their exploration of the Northern Crater. Both times they had passed the beast, but had failed to see him. Now, his plan of chaos would be unleashed upon the face of the Planet. And unlike Jenova, he would not fail.

So, what do you think? I know, I sorta left the Turk storyline hanging, but hey, it'll pick up again, don't worry. It'll only be a matter of time. Now please, everyone, read and review!!


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